Stator Blade Assembly for Vacuum Pump Evacuation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing stator blade assemblies in vacuum pumps suffer from increased evacuation time due to internal leaks and unevenness caused by gaps and warping, leading to inefficient gas evacuation in semiconductor, flat panel display, and solar panel production devices.

Innovation Solution

The introduction of a stator blade assembly with release means such as notches, holes, or recesses in the frames to prevent warping and internal leaks, combined with caulking or other joining methods to maintain evenness and rapid release of confined gases, reducing the evacuation time.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Shape

If slits are formed by cutting in the vicinity of blade base to incline the stator blade at a predetermined angle, then the stator blade can be bent to achieve the desired inclination, but a gap unavoidably appears in the vicinity of the blade base due to the slits, causing gas molecules to flow in reverse (internal leak) and increasing evacuation time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveblade inclination angleVSAvoidevacuation performance
Core Design Contradiction:
ShapeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A filler material is introduced as an intermediary substance to occupy the gap created by the slit in the stator blade base. This filler prevents gas molecules from flowing through the gap during evacuation, thereby eliminating the internal leak while preserving the blade's inclined shape. The filler acts as a mediator between the structural requirement (inclined blade) and the performance requirement (leak-free evacuation).

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If frames are superimposed in the vertical direction to form a double-layer stacked structure, then the stator blade assembly can be constructed with multiple blades, but the frames can be opened in the vertical direction due to warping or bending, causing uneven stator blade heights and decreasing evacuation efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemulti-blade configurationVSAvoidblade height uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

Ribs are pre-formed on the inner surface of the frames before the blades are attached. These ribs create a rigid supporting structure that prevents warping and bending of the frames during assembly and operation. By preparing this reinforcing structure in advance, the frames maintain their vertical integrity, ensuring that all stator blades remain at uniform heights throughout the assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If frames are superimposed in the vertical direction, then gas or fluid can be confined between the vertically superimposed frames, but this confined gas continuously and gradually flows out during evacuation operation, extending the evacuation time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemulti-blade configurationVSAvoidevacuation time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Through-holes are created in the frames to extract and remove the confined gas that becomes trapped between superimposed frames during assembly. These holes provide direct pathways for the trapped gas to escape to the evacuated chamber, preventing the formation of gas pockets that would otherwise slowly leak during operation. By removing the trapped gas entirely rather than allowing it to remain confined, the evacuation process is significantly accelerated.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP2653728B1Fixed blade assembly usable in exhaust pump, and exhaust pump provided with same
Publication Date: 2021.12.29 EDWARDS JAPAN
  • EP2653728B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2653728B1 patent drawingFigure 2(a)~2(c)
  • EP2653728B1 patent drawingFigure 3(a)~3(b)

AI summary

Provided are a stator blade assembly advantageous for improving the evacuation performance by shortening the evacuation time, and an exhaust pump provided with such a stator blade assembly. Inner and outer stator blade bases 14A, 14B of a plurality of stator blades 14 are supported by frames F1, F2. A projecting portion T protruding from the frame F1 supporting the inner stator blade base 14A, or from the frame F2 supporting the outer stator blade base 14B, or from both of the frames F1, F2 is provided in a gap in the vicinity of the inner or outer stator blade base 14A, 14B between one of the supported stator blades 14 (14-1) and the stator blade 14 (14-2) transversely adjacent thereto.